All parks in Rwanda
Rwanda National Parks, Rwanda is a tiny noncoastal realm, geographically located in East Central Africa. In her smaller size, Rwanda has 4 national parks which are the major tourist attraction in the country. The size of Rwanda is comparable to the state of Massachusetts.
Rwanda is bordered by 4 countries which are Tanzania from the East, Uganda in the north, and Democratic Republic of Congo from the Eastern and Burundi from the South. With various cities, Kigali remain the capital of this beautiful country.
It seats in the arrays of the Great Western Rift Valley, this makes the country open to great African endangered species. Rwanda parks are known to accommodate rare species, among these species include; – mountain gorillas, golden monkeys, chimpanzees, Big Five games, the several bird species and many of the mammals.
All Rwanda National Parks are under the management of Rwanda Development Board. The board is responsible to sustainable management of all parks. It also issue permits of trekking the gorillas, golden monkeys and chimpanzees in their respective habitations.
The four National Parks of Rwanda include Volcanos National Park, Nyungwe Forest National Park, Kagera National Park and Gishwati-Mukura National Park. All these National Parks are significant eco-diverse featuring various amazing landscapes, and several vegetation covers amidst several wildlife.
National Parks in Rwanda
Volcanos National Park
Located in the northern section of the country in Musanze province. Volcanos National Park is Rwanda’s most selling tourist destination. The Park is popular for being the world’s number one luxurious gorilla trekking destinations. For a plan to visit Rwanda, the Volcano Mountain Gorillas always tops the race.
Volcanos National Park boosts over protecting Rwanda’s steep slopes, this where Rwanda generates her calling of “a Land of a thousand Hills.” The country extends to share borders with Uganda and Democratic Republic of Congo.
Volcanoes National Park is a portion of the greater Virunga Conservation Area (VCA). This is shared amongst the three countries with segments of Volcanos National Park of Rwanda, Mgahinga Gorilla National Park in Uganda and Virunga National Park of Congo. The VCA accommodates over half of the World’s Mountian Gorillas and the rest of the half resides in Bwindi Impenetrable National Park. The two forests of Bwindi and Virunga Conservation Area remains the only endemic forests that accommodate the endangered mountain gorillas.
The park is a chain of 5 dormant volcanoes of the eight that are found in the Virunga Massif. These 5 dormant volcanoes include; Karisimbi Volcanos, Bisoke Volcanos, Sabinyo, Muhavura and Gahinga.
Volcanos National Park was a base for the renowned primatologists Diana Fossey who initiated gorilla trekking efforts. Diana had made her research center at the foothills between Karimbi and Bisoke volcanos. Unfortunately, due to endless efforts invested to conserve the future of mountain gorillas Diana Fossey was found dead. Her efforts today have yielded several physical fruits with a tremendous increase of mountain gorillas.
Volcanos National Park beside Gorilla Trekking has several other activities done, golden monkey tracking, Bird watching, Visiting Dain Fossey’s graves, volcano hiking, cultural visits to the surrounding Twa Communities, among others.
Akagera National Park
Rwanda’s largest national parks with an area coverage of 1,222 square kilometer. The only savannah park in Rwanda but also consists of montane forests, woodland, swamps. The park with a chance to watch the Big Five games in Rwanda, the highest number of mammals among others.
Akagera National Park is located eastern section of Rwanda, bordering Tanzania. The park was named after Akagera River, however, the park consist of several water bodies among which include Lakes, rivers and swamps. Though Volcanos National Park is the most popular park in Rwanda, but Akagera National Pak is the most visited in Rwanda.
Akagera National Park was established in 1934 to protect animals and vegetation of the three eco-system of Savanah, Mountane and swamps. In 1990s the park faced several challenges from the popular genocide. After the genocide in 1994, survivors settled on the park’s land for farming.
In 2009, Rwanda Development Board (RDB) and the African Parks Network made a 20 year renewable agreement for the joint management of Akagera National Park. And then 2010, the joint management of the park was formed i.e. The Akagera Management Company.
The park is home to over 8,000 wild mammals, these include elephants, buffalos, antelopes, hippos, leopards, lions, giraffes, rhinos among many other mammals. The park accommodates over 500 bird species making the park a fine place for birding activities.
Activities done at Akagera National Park include Game drive through the savannah opening, boat rides done at Lake Ihema the largest lake in the park. Other activities include, bird watching, community visits, among other activities.
Nyungwe Forest National Park
Another tropical forest after Volcanos National Park, Nyungwe Forest National Park is located in southern section of Rwanda where Rwanda shares borders with Burundi and DRC. The forest is said to be the most preserved in the Central Africa. It is largely known for chimpanzee tracking.
The park was established in 2004, it’s the second largest park in Rwanda covering an area of 27km2. The tropical rainforest offer an all-time green ambiance that accommodates over 85 mammals species, 275 bird species are recorded. About 120 of the butterflies, 38 reptiles and 32 of amphibians.
Nyungwe Forest National Park is regarded as central African prestigious forests for staying green all year around. The forest features montane forests, valleys and tropical rainforest. The forest records about 13 primate species with chimpanzees being the premier.
Chimpanzee tracking is the most popular tourist activity done at Nyungwe forest. Chimpanzees here are not fully habituated and sometime a close up encounter might seem uncommon. Other adventures activities done at the park include mountain climbing, Nature walks, canopy walk, primate tracking and bird watching.
Gishwati-Mukura National Park
Recently made a national park in 2015 after combining both Gishwati and Mukura forest reserves. Gishwati-Mukura National Park was established to protect the remnants of Gishwati and Mukura forest and also to protect and conserve the chimpanzee population of the two forests. The forest is a special home for several primate species among which include the endemic golden monkeys, blue and L’Hoest’s monkeys. After the 1994 genocide, several refuges stormed the forest to build their new homes, and doing subsistence farming.
The Rwanda government made an agreement with Wilderness Safari to restore forests and promote tourism for sustainable development. Together with the government, Wilderness safari is working to initiate chimpanzee tracking at the park, bird watching and primate watching.
